Order board



May 5, 1953 Filed March 26. 1949 T. c. GRIFFIN ORDER BOARD 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR; Thomas C. Griffin haw ATTORNEY y 1953 'r. c. GRIFFIN 2,637,570

ORDER BOARD Filed March 26, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 H 'm I l (VM/ INVENTOK .Thomas 0. Griffin FIG. 9 BY ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1953 Aren't "ORDER BOARD Thomas C. Gri'ifin, Denver, Colo.

"Aplili'cation March 26, l9 i9fSerial Nofl8'3 fi7'l ;6 :Claims. 1

Hie present invention relates to an order :boarcl.

-It has to do particularly, althoughnotexclusively,

with a board which may be used to adiusta bly conveniently position separateorder-forms, or thelilte, with respect to the lines and columns on the separate forms.

The present --inventi'on is related generally to the 'i-nven tion embraced by my eo-pending an lL --'c'at'ion, Serial No. 46,647, filed August 28, 1948 ahd is, etfedt, an improvement upon that invention.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide ani-mproved order board havingmeans for supporting in flatw ise condition two groups consisting of separate or individual order forms ii n sueh a manner as to permit the forms Gib-1 19 group to be easily and quick-1y adjusted withrelationto the forms of another and different group so lasto vproperly :line up or position the lines or rows of items and the columns of items on the separate order forms.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an order board-of the foregoin'gcharacter having along :itsuhper edge a pluralityof members to which order forms may be removably at- .tached'and held against accidental displacement,

and wherein another plurality of means 'or members for attaching order forms is disposed along and adjacent to the left edge :of the board, :both

of said means including removable members, such as or-strips, formaintainingitheorder :forms in position against accidental displacement .or

rearrangement, and said 1ast-named means being adjustable lengthwise thereof in a plane which is substantially parallel to the iplan'e of the left side edge or" the board and also in asubstantiaily right angularly disposed plane extending 'b'eon the left-hand edge 'of the board and the =1 ght hand edge thereof, whereby to permit lines or rows of items and columns on the difierent order forms to be arranged in cooperative relasubstantially throughout its entire-width, for receiving and supporting :a series of order forms whic'h inay be shiftedtransversely manually to different positions overlying the board, :and in which a plurality of similar means is provided along 'thevleft edge of the board, i said last-married :means being disposed at substantially a right angle to the first-named means, :andiwherein the :last-named means is adjustable a plane substantially parallellto thelleft edge of the board and also in a plane arranged at substantially a right anglerto said edge to permit the vpositioning or lore'zervrcirrns iatta'ohedto the last-named means adiiustalo'l :w-ithrelat-ion to order lforms attached to the .first named means.

-%mother object of the present-invention is to provide an order form-holding member for use inzconnection withthe series of pins or 'lp'egs of thewimgroved order board as set forth-above, in which e'ilhC-E rnen lber includes vfriction-c1.eating "23883153 to ,-releasably maintain 'the order forms in their proger poslt'ionsw ith:relation to the order board; it :being a furtherobject of the present invention to, provide order -forimeholding means compr ring a series ;of l-pins or jpegs carried either by the :board :itselfor by an elongated plate .mocsnted-on the headland-cooperating removable holding bars 'or members having pin or .pegreceiving sockets formed therein to maintain order-terms in lpositionuponthe board against accidental displacement; it Z-bejing a still further ojoiect of the --i-nvention to provide the pins or ;pegs, :or the-holding bars, or :both, with friction- .oreatin-g means to releasably maintain the parts together against accidental separation or 'displacement.

The -fo-regoing and other objects and advantages lof lthe ;presentinvention will appear from the dollowing descri-ptionJa-nd appended claims when. onsidered in-connection :with the accompanying drawings-torminga part of this specifioation, wherein cor-respending reference characters designate :oorresponding vparts in the several views.

in said (drawings:

Fig. '1 =is;a-topp lan view,=:par tly broken away, ofIa-n order board-embodying the present inventime.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view takensubstantially along the line 2?2 of 1, 1ooki-ng.-in the direction ofith-e arrows toward the left-hand edge of the 'looard.

3 is a,-sectional view taken substantially along the :line 3-3 -of Fig. l1,1ooking in the directionor the-arrowsand toward the upper edgeof the board.

Fig. 4 is a :fragmentary :bottom plan "view, Jon .an enlarged scale, taken in the vicinity of and substantially along the 1i-ne 4.4., looking-in the direction of the arrows and toward the bottom 'of the :board as seen. :in I '2.

:Fig. 5- is an enlarged scale tragmentary :perspectiv'e iview, epartly broken -away, illustrating 3 some of the details of the board including the two-way adjustable order form-supporting means disposed adjacent the left edge of the board.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged scale detail sectional view of the means for securing the parts of the adjustable order form-supporting means together, taken substantially along the line E of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view generally similar to that shown in Fig. 5 but showing some of the details of the structure including the order formholding means which is adapted to be disposed adjacent the upper edge of the board, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view, partly broken away, of the order formholding means arranged adjacent the upper edge of the board and illustrating one form of frictioncreating means embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, and partly broken away, of the structure shown in Fig. 8.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. It is to be understood also that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Generally speaking, the present invention provides an improved order board having means located adjacent its upper edge for supporting a series of order blanks, said means including a series of pins or pegs and a removable or detachable socketed member adapted to fit over the pins or pegs and be brought into contact with the blanks while in their fiatwise supported positions to hold them in said positions against accidental displacement or removal, together with separate means located adjacent the left edge of the board for receiving and supporting another series of order blanks in position inwardly from but adjacent the left-hand edge of the order board, said last-named or separate means being adjustable in two directions, namely in a plane which is substantially parallel to the plane of the left edge of the board so as to properly align the lines of the order blanks with corresponding lines of the order blanks carried by the first-named means adjacent the upper edge of the board and also being adjustable or having movement, as a whole, in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the first-named movement, whereby to permit the alignment of columns on the order blanks of the two series.

Furthermore, the invention consists of providing each set of blank-receiving and supporting means or members with a removable or detachable clamping or holding bar which is adapted to be brought into engagement with the pinsupported order forms to hold them in position against accidental displacement, there being friction-creating means forming a part of the clamping bars to hold them in operative position. It will be understood that a large number of separate order forms, or the like, may be supported by the horizontally disposed holding means and a separate group of order forms supported by the vertically disposed holding means, said lastnamed means being adjustable to permit the second group of order forms to be correlated with the first group of order forms. Thus, it will be seen that, broadly speaking, the present order board comprises a fixed series of members adjacent its upper edge for supporting one or a large number of order forms in the desired position or positions, and a two-way adjustable order form-supporting unit for supporting a second group of order forms. The use and/ or operation of the order board of the present invention will be apparent as the following description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings, It represents as a Whole, the order board embodying the present invention. As shown, the board includes a substantially fiat and smooth base portion 5 I having on its under side a marginally arranged series of channel-like members, or strips [2 which serve to support the board upon a surface. The base portion H of the board may be formed from plastic, wood, metal, or any suitable composition, with the channel-shaped members 12 being, preferably, formed from aluminum, aluminum alloy, or some other suitable strong and durable but relatively lightweight material,

For convenience in describing the invention and in interpreting the claims at the end of this specification, the board may be said to have an upper horizontal edge I 3, a lower horizontal edge Hi, a left-hand vertical edge 15 and a right-hand vertical edge H5.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 4, the base portion I I of the board is provided with a pair of spaced substantially parallel slots or elongated openings l1 whose outer or left ends are located, as shown, adjacent to the left-hand so-called vertical edge 55 of the board. The base portion l l on its under face is provided with a pair of strap-like members or guides it which may be held in place by rivets, screws, or the like Ida. These guide members l8 are disposed in spaced relationship and in a horizontal plane which extends in substantial parallelism to the horizontal planes of the slots The base portion H, as shown, is provided adjacent its upper edge [3, with a row of upright spaced pins or pegs 19 which, as shown, are disposed adjacent the upper edge IQ of the board and extend from the right-hand vertical edge [5 to a point somewhat short of the left-hand vertical edge 15 of the board. These spaced pins or pegs [9 provide means for receiving and removably supporting order forms (not shown) which, when engaged with the pins, will lie flat upon the base or surface H. It is desirable to provide means for maintaining the order forms in position upon the pegs or pins [9 so that they will not be acoidentally displaced or removed from contact with the pins. For this purpose, I have provided an elongated member or relatively flat holding bar 20 which is provided with a series of sockets or openings 2| to receive the upstanding pins or pegs 19. To prevent the bar or member 20 from becoming accidentally dislodged from its position in engagement with pins 59, friction-creating means is, preferably, incorporated in said bar. This means may vary from that illustrated in the present drawings, such means being shown merely by way of example as suitable means for this purpose.

With particular reference to Fig. '7 of the drawings, one end portion of bar 20 is shown in detail therein. That portion of the bar illustrated is provided with only three of the spaced openings rcoking inove pins or'socl zets 92 1 which rec'eive'the upstanding pins or pegs 19. Of those shown, two aclia'cent sooke'ts 21 are, preferably, interconnected by an elongated groove 22 formed in the side edge of the and with-in which anormally bowed wire '23 i will be noted that the groove 22 positioning pin 2% is driven through loai ts the wire, as clearly seen inFig. 8. i seen that the friction-creating ent and flexing when the studs '01 he *soclretsor holes 2'] in member The pa: s are so ar anged and proportioned that in its normal condition, portions of wire -23 will extend'parti'ally into the sockets or openings 2i and when the studs or pins l9 enter thesoclre'-ts,-those portions of the wire will frictionally engage them and thus serve to hold the parts together against accidental displacement. The structure of the friction-creating means is clear- 1y illustrated. in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

For i321 WhlCh is disposed adajcent the upper edge is or the board, two such bowed spring ineinbers'fit have proven to be adequate for properly holding the member 2i? in position upon the pins or pegs Iii, one such spring member being-di posed adjacent each end of the bar T e nun ber of such friction-creating means cm i vary in accordance with the reguirenients and with the size of order board with which ley employed.

While the pins or pegs is have been shown as being secured directly to the base portion ll of the board, these pinsor pegs may be attached to a separate plate or strip (not shown") which may in turn be mounted upon the base.

I shall now describe in detail the means for securing a second series of order forms in position adjacent the left-hand vertical edge E5 of ber, shown as a whole at as, and having a long leg 35 which engages and is slid'able in the guides l8, and a cross member or head portion 33 which extends between and beyond, and which also underlies the horizontally disposed slots ll. The portion it of the T-sh-aped member all is connected with the plate 39 through the medium bolt members 3'3 the heads or which are shaped to fit slidably in the marginal recesses 32 and which extend downwardly through the horizontal slot ll and receive a knurled nut, tightening,

member, or finger piece 38, see particularly Figs. 5 and 6.

Thus, by loosening the knurled member Sil the pin or peg-carrying plate 36 may be sli'd or adjus'te'cl lengthwise toward or away from. the upper edge it of the board, the movement being in a predetermined straight path. Moreover, when the nuts are loosened, the T-shaped member-3' 3 may be slid crosswise of the board toward or away from the left edge i5 or the right edge it. i

This movement, of "course, effects the simultane= bus-and like movement of the pin or peg-carrying elongated plate or member 30.

While the member 30 and the-spaced pins 33 provide means for supporting a number of order forms, it is desirable to provide additional means to prevent these forms from becoming accidentally shifted or displaced'from their position upon member 30. For this purpose, a socketed bar 38 is, preferably, provided, this bar being substantially like bar -29 referred to above. That is to say, the removable bar 33 is'providedwith sockets or openings which register with and receive the pins 33, with one or more of said sockets or opening being interconnected by a-longitudinal slot, such as slot 22 of Figs. 7, land -9, the-slot carrying a friction member, such as the bowed wire 23, which may be held in place for rocking and flexing movement by a pin similarto pin 24 of bar 20. In other words, bar 39 is provided with friction-creating means for engaging the pins or studs 33 in substantially the same manner as is the bar 21 In use, a number of order forms (not shown) may be carried by the pins is which extend along the upper portion of the base i l and are removably held in place by the removable clamping bar or holder 253. Another group of order forms (not shown) is placed upon the pins or studs 33 and are held in place by the removable clamping member, or holder bar 39. By loosening the nuts or finger pieces 38, the members 30 and 39 may be shifted as a unit up and down or vertically with relation to the base, or crosswise or horizontally with relation to the base so as to properly position the order forms'carried thereby with relation to the order forms carried by the members iii and 28.

I have provided a lightweight yet strong and durable portable order board which is of relatively simple construction and, therefore, relatively inexpensive to manufacture which facilitates such operations in connection with warehousine practices, as checking separate invoices, order blanks, inventory reports, and bills of lading one against the other so as to assure accuracy in posting. By virtue of the present invention, the operation is greatly speeded up and may be done much more efficiently than in the past.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. In an order board assembly for use n posttioning order forms and the like, in wl the assembly includes a flat base portion having mar-- ginal supporting means on under surface and a plurality of spaced pins ca L W tion extending along, adjaocl u and samba parallel to the upper edge of the base portion, and in which a bar ha a pluralit of holes adapted to register with plns is removably mounted upon the pins to hold order forms in place upon the board, said bar having frictioncreating means for maintaining it in position against accidental removal from the pins, the improvement which corn rises an elongated plate mounted upon the base portion adiace t the let side edge thereof and adjustable relatively to the base portion and said spaced pins two e cc ti'ons at subs artially a right angle to o. othen said elongated plate having a plural'..ty of pins projecting outwardly therefrom for receiv ing and holding order forms, the adj ustability of said plate ermit the order forms to aligned as to columns and lines of ures thereon with the corresponding columns and lines of figures of the order forms held in position upon the base by the first-named spaced pins and bar.

2. In an order board assembly for use in positioning order forms and the like in which the assembly includes a flat base portion having supporting means on its under surface and a horizontal row of spaced order-receiving and supporting pins arranged adjacent the upper edge of the base portion, t e improvement which comprises vertically disposed means arranged adjacent a side edge of the base portion for receiving and removabl supporting other order forms, said vertically disposed means including a plurality of spaced pins, said means being adjustable vertically and horizontally with relation to the supporting base whereby to permit the cooperating alignment as to rows and columns of figures on the last-named order forms with the corresponding rows and columns of figures of the firstnamed order forms, and separate removable means releasably engaging the separate rows of pins for maintaining the separate groups of order forms in position upon the base portion against accidental displacement.

3. In an order board assembly for use with order forms and the like in which the assembly includes a relatively flat base portion having supporting means on its under surface and a plurality of spaced pins projecting upwardl from U the base portion for receiving and removably supporting order forms, and in which the assembly includes a removable bar having plurality of .sockets for receiving said pins and for maintaim adjustable lengthwise in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the left side edge of the base portion and also being adjustable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the top edge of said base portion.

4. In an order form-holding device adapted to be applied to the relatively flat base portion of an order board and being adjustable in two right angularly disposed directions with relation to the base portion of the board, including a substantially T-shaped frame member disposed against the under surface of the base portion, the improvement which comprises an elongated plate disposed above the head portion of the T-shaped frame at the top side of said base portion, said elongated plate having a plurality of spaced pins projecting outwardly therefrom, and a bar having a plurality of sockets formed therein for the reception of said pins, said bar having means for frictionally engaging certain of said pins whereby to hold the bar fiatviise upon the elongated plate with order forms disposed therebetween.

5. In an order board assembly for use with order forms and the like in which the assembly includes a relatively flat base portion having channel-like marginal supporting means on its under surface and a plurality of spaced pins projecting outwardly from the top surface of the base portion and arranged in a row along, adjacent,

and substantially parallel to the upper edge of said base portion, in which the assembly includes a removable bar having a plurality of sockets formed therein adapted to register with said pins and removably mounted upon the pins to hold order forms in flatwise position upon the board, said removable bar having adjacent certain of said sockets friction-creating means for engagement with certain of said pins to maintain the bar in position against accidental removal from the pins, and in which said base portion has a pair of substantially parallel slots formed therein adjacent the left side edge thereof and extending substantially perpendicularly to said side edge, the improvement Which comprises an elongated plate having a plurality of spaced pins projecting outwardly therefrom mounted on the board and extending in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the left side edge and substantially perpendicularly to the upper edge of the board, said elongated plate extending between and beyond the parallel slots and overlying them, a pair of guide members disposed in spaced relationship upon the under surface of the base portion and substantially parallel to and intermediate the plane of the parallel slots, a substantially T- shaped member having its long leg positioned within the guide members to permit the T-shaped member to be moved in a fixed path from a position adjacent the left edge of the base portion toward the right edge of said base portion, said elongated plate having a pair of spaced slots formed therein, said slots being adapted to register With the parallel slots in said base portion, and means for connecting the head portion of the T- shaped member with the elongated plate, said means extending through the parallel slots and engaging the slots in said plate, whereby to permit movement of the elongated plate member in a path substantially paralleling the left edge of the base portion and also in a path substantially perpendicular thereto to permit the elongated member and the T-shaped member to be shifted as a unit toward the right side edge of the base portion.

6. In an order board assembly for use with order forms and the like in which the assembly includes a relatively flat base portion having channel-like marginal supporting means on its under surface and a plurality of spaced pins projecting outwardly from the top surface of the base portion and arranged in a row along, adjacent, and substantially parallel to the upper edge of said base portion, in which a removable bar having a plurality of sockets formed therein adapted to register with said pins is removably mounted upon the pins to hold order forms in flatwise position upon the board, said bar having adjacent certain of said sockets friction-creating means for engagement with certain of said pins to maintain the bar in position against accidental removal from the pins, and in which said base portion has a pair of substantially parallel slots formed therein adjacent the left side edge thereof and extending substantially perpendicularly to said side edge, the improvement which comprises an elongated plate having a plurality of spaced pins projecting outwardly therefrom mounted on the board and extending in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the left side edge and substantially perpendicularly to the upper edge of the board, said elongated plate extending between and beyond the parallel slots and overlying them, a pair of guide members disposed in spaced relationship upon the under surface of the base 9 portion and arranged in a plane substantially parallel to and intermediate the plane of the parallel slots, a substantially T-shaped member having its long leg positioned Within the guide members to permit the T-shaped member to be moved in a fixed path from a position adjacent the left edge of the base portion toward the right edge of said base portion, said elongated plate having a pair of spaced slots formed therein, said slots being adapted to register with the parallel slots in said base portion, means for connecting the head portion of the T-shaped member with the elongated plate, said means extending through the parallel slots and engaging the slots in said plate, whereby to permit movement of the elongated plate member in a path substantially paralleling the left edge of the base portion and also in a path substantially perpendicular thereto to permit the elongated member and the T- shaped member to be shifted as a unit toward the 7 right side edge of the base portion, and a removable bar having a plurality of sockets formed therein removably engaging the elongated member to hold order forms in flat-wise position 10 Number References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 784,311 Elinofi' et a1 Mar. 7, 1905 971,725 Brunson Oct. 4, 1910 1,440,477 McEee Jan. 2, 1923 1,760,776 Rengmann May 27, 1930 2,033,147 Niemann Mar. 10, 1936 2,117,372 Smith et al May 17, 1938 2,163,193 Critchfielol June 20, 1939 2,183,095 Fleming Dec. 12, 1939 2,493,052 Yale Jan. 3, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 400,686 Germany Aug. 18, 1924 64,197 Norway Dec. 1, 1941 

